The Boston Fleet continued their winning streak with a 2-0 win over the New York Sirens. The Fleet improved to 5-0-0-0 and remain undefeated all-time against the Sirens. There were several takeaways from the game. Most notably, the Fleet's ability to continuously find ways to win—despite missing the playoffs last season—stands out. Building on that, here are the top five takeaways from the team's unexpected start to the season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The Secret Sauce The Fleet have allowed only two goals across five games, averaging one goal against every 50 shots. On offense, they score once for every ten shots taken. While this approach may not be intentional, it’s evident that the team has figured out a way to win. It also helps that Aerin Frankel has been dominant in net, recording her third shutout this season on Wednesday night. Frankel has played 299:48 this season; in that time, she has earned a 98.5% save percentage. Frankel has tied the longest winning streak in her career and has already surpassed her shutout record from last season. Sirens head coach Greg Fargo had high praise for Frankel following the game. “I think maybe we let them off the hook a little bit a few times where [our offense] was able to give her one that she can easily see and control the game while their shift was extended, and they were tired,” Fargo said. “In some other areas, we missed opportunities, but there were a lot of great things. We had some great chances, and I thought Aerin played a great game once again.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. There isn’t one standout player. Every Fleet player has contributed in their own way, from the rookies to the veterans. Three of the team's five rookies have registered at least one point. Ella Huber earned her first PWHL goal on Wednesday, with Haley Winn earning the assist. Winn has recorded points in consecutive games for the first time in her rookie season. In addition to rookie achievements, Liz Schepers also scored her first goal of the season against the Sirens. Captain Megan Keller earned her fifth point of the season, placing her on the PWHL points leaderboard among all skaters. Keller is one of only two defenders, along with Claire Thompson, who have reached five points this season. Overall, every player is stepping up and contributing—something new head coach Kris Sparre emphasized when he took over the team. Under Sparre, the team’s identity has rapidly developed. The coach remains undefeated in his role. Following the game, Sparre reflected on his first five games with the team. "I think what I'm most grateful for is the players. As a coach, you put together systems, you put together an identity, and you want to have standards that you uphold every day,” Sparre said. “Our group, right from day one, has taken ownership of that, and they bring it every practice, every game. It's not always perfect, but they find a way to get it done." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Ella Huber earned her first point Ella Huber deserves a standalone takeaway. On Wednesday night, Huber scored her first PWHL point and first goal. Entering the game, Huber had taken 14 shots and won two face-offs. As the league’s 10th overall draft pick, she finally earned recognition for her strong play. After the game, Huber shared her thoughts on the milestone. "It was fun. I've been waiting for this. We've been practicing a lot of two-on-ones recently, and I've been told I have a shooter's mentality,” Huber said. “Our [defenders] are incredible. They're great at getting the puck up the ice. Anytime Winn, Keller, or any of our D are on the ice, we know that the puck is moving up the ice. I like to gain some speed and get the puck where it needs to be." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Taylor Girard faced her former team Taylor Girard faced her former team on Wednesday. Five games into the 2024-25 season, Girard was traded to the Sirens in exchange for Jill Saulnier. To start this season, Girard led the league with three goals, scoring all three in the Sirens’ first game on November 22. Since that opening game, Girard has not added any points, but she has continued to be a significant on-ice presence for the Sirens, logging eleven minutes of ice time on Wednesday. Following the game, the Sirens now have a 2-0-0-4 record, tying them for fifth place in the league, while the Fleet stand tall in first place. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Concerns Linger The Fleet have not dropped a game yet this season. While it has been a thrilling start, future concerns still linger. Aerin Frankel has played in and won all five games for the team. She has managed to keep the puck out of the net, with the assistance of Winn and Keller on defense, but at what point will Abbey Levy step in to share the workload? Frankel stopped a season-high 33 shots on goal on Wednesday, bringing her total of 129 saves in the first five games. Winn (26:51) and Keller (25:56) combined for over 50 minutes of ice time, each logging more than five minutes above any other skater, to shut down the Sirens’ offense. Fargo spoke about the difficulty of trying to get one past Frankel and his team’s offensive performance. “There were a lot of good moments tonight where we had some quality looks throughout the game,” Fargo said. “I thought we had a good amount of offensive zone time where we had them on the ropes and tired.” Fargo's point is notable: the Fleet appeared fatigued at times. Defenders Keller and Winn combined for more than 50 minutes on the ice, each playing over five minutes more than any teammate. Another concern around this team is penalties. The Fleet had a total of five penalties in Wednesday’s game. The penalty kill team was on the ice for eleven minutes. The Fleet remain the only PWHL team to be perfect on the penalty kill, but going forward, they must manage their penalties if they want to maintain their undefeated record. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall, the Boston Fleet have put on a dominating performance early on in this season. The team has surpassed preseason expectations and has genuinely been a fun team to watch as they lead the league in wins. They now prepare to face off against the Minnesota Frost on Friday.
